Classes

Using a motif of Heroes, Helpers, and Hope, students in the Middle School Language Arts I course will acquire the reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening skills necessary for success in college, career, and beyond. Students will become critical readers and thinkers as they delve into fiction and informational texts within the course. They will also learn to effectively write narrative, informational, and argumentative pieces and present their ideas clearly and cohesively. The Middle School Language Arts I and the Middle School Language Arts II courses are not sequential and may be completed in either order.

Using a motif of Mystery, Monsters, and Mayhem, students in the Middle School Language Arts 6-7th grade course will acquire the reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening skills necessary for success in college, career, and beyond. Students will become critical readers and thinkers as they delve into fiction and informational texts within the course. They will also learn to effectively write narrative, informational, and argumentative pieces and present their ideas clearly and cohesively. The Middle School Language Arts I and the Middle School Language Arts II courses are not sequential and may be completed in either order.

Using a motif of Innovation, Imagination, and Invention, students in the Middle School Language Arts III course will acquire the reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening skills necessary for success in college, career, and beyond. Students will become critical readers and thinkers as they delve into fiction and informational texts within the course. They will also learn to effectively write narrative, informational, and argumentative pieces and present their ideas clearly and cohesively.

Students act as special agents who travel the world on behalf of the Committee of 100 to explore and gather information for the purpose of building an international theme park. Each module takes the student to a different region of the world where they explore the cultures of that region.

Learning about civics gives students the skills and knowledge necessary to be active citizens who have a positive impact on their communities. In this course, students discover the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States. They learn about the structure of the government and how it works at the local, state, and federal levels. This course examines elections, the lawmaking process, and how citizens can impact public policy. Students also discover ways the United States interacts with countries around the world. Geography and economics support the learning of civics in this course. Engaging in this study prepares students to be informed citizens who are ready to participate in the American democracy!

Learning about history allows people to see how far we have come and what awaits us on our path to the future. In this course, students will explore the history of the United States and analyze the cause and effect in historical events. They will investigate history by using the tools of a historian to examine the historical, geographic, political, economic, and sociological events that influenced the development of the United States. Students will imagine what it was like to live in the past by reading the stories from the people who experienced it. This course begins with the engaging stories of what brought the earliest American colonists to the New World and ends with the struggles to repair the United States following the Civil War. Engaging in this study allows students to recognize the themes of history that span across centuries and leads to a greater appreciation of the development of the United States and the resulting impact on world history.

Somebody discovered the wheel. Somebody discovered written communication. Somebody even figured out how to count to ten. From the ancient river civilizations to China and its ancient dynasties, different civilizations left their mark on history. They also left their mark on how we live today. In this course, students join travel agent Mr. Lightfoot to travel back in time digging out the past of these ancient civilizations. In ancient Egypt students visit the pyramids and find out the secrets of preserving mummies. They see how the Mayans developed astronomy to a precise science. They even investigate the difference between the Athenians and the Spartans. Students will journey through India discovering their contributions to medicine, moving on to Africa to follow the rise and fall of the ancient east African kingdoms of Kush and Axum. Throughout the centuries, and still today, our world is made up of dozens of different cultures. They all are different, and they all have made big contributions to what we know and who we are.

Grade 6 Math bridges the gap between elementary and middle school, differentiating the instruction so that struggling students are given the help and knowledge they need to master the concepts, while advanced students are able to accelerate at their own pace.

In the Grade 7 Math course, after a thorough review of basic operations, students learn how to solve real-world problems by applying basic concepts of Algebra and Geometry and by using proportional relationships. Students are also shown how to use statistical data to make inferences and how to use and evaluate probability models

The 8th Grade Math course is designed to help students become High School ready by ensuring they have a firm understanding of middle school mathematical concepts. Course topics include:
Algebraic Expressions with Integers
Rational Numbers and Exponents
Applying Irrational Numbers to Pythagorean Theorem
Transformations
Angles and Pairs of Lines
Volume of Circular Solids
Linear Functions
Systems of Linear Functions
Scatter Plots

Pre-Algebra was developed to provide students with an introduction to algebraic concepts, including the basic principles, rules, and operations of working with expressions containing variables. It also provides a strong foundation in basic mathematical concepts to prepare them for Algebra. Course topics include:
Whole Number Operations
Order of Operations
Fractions/Decimals/Percentages
Basic Probabilities and Statistics
Basic Geometry
Integer Operations
Basic Graphing
Basic One- and Two-Step Equations

The Middle School Algebra course is designed for math proficient students that are ready to take an advanced track of mathematics education, preparing them for high school. Course topics include:
Algebraic Expressions and Equations
Proportions, Inequalities, and Absolute Values
Introduction to Functions
Linear Functions and Systems
Exponential Properties and Functions
Factoring
Quadratic, Inverse, and Square Root Functions
Statistical Analysis

Matter can be defined as anything that takes up space and has mass. Energy can be defined as the ability to cause a change in matter. Physical Science is the study of matter and energy. Students in the Physical Science course study the basic components that matter is made of, as well as different forms of energy that make things move and change. Enlightening, on-screen demonstrations of the concepts being taught bring the science to life and enhance student understanding.

The Earth Science course provides an opportunity to study the earth on which we live. The course investigates the earth's structure and composition, its changing surface and the role that energy plays in earth systems. It explores the earth's ecological resources and atmosphere, its water cycle and weather. It further discusses the earth's landmasses and its relationships with its neighbors in space. Along the way, students are shown how to use scientific thinking, investigations, tools, and technologies.

In Life Science, students study living organisms, including plants, animals, and human beings. Beginning with a review of the basics of science, such as the scientific method, Ms. Pence goes on to explore life itself, beginning with cellular organization and discussing the organization of living things. Particular emphasis is placed on human biology.

This course has been especially designed for iForward students in order to offer experiences that will help them better understand cultures throughout our world. This course allows students to work collaboratively with other learners that represent the diverse cultures that make up our incredible planet. Students who enroll in this class will learn skills in mutual respect while gaining a better understanding of other cultures and building respect for varied languages. Learners will gain a valuable awareness by enrolling in Art Around the World as it will enable them to develop a well-informed world view through producing arts and crafts from a variety of different cultures.
This course is written for both middle school and high school students so that students at both levels of learning will succeed. Lessons will address similar standards but will allow several pathways for iForward students.

Graphic Design is all around you from the old shirt you pulled out of your dresser this morning to the billboard that was just put up along the highway. In this course, you will become the artist that creates these designs! You will have the opportunity to combine both Art and Technology to communicate your own ideas!
In this introductory course you will edit images, design logos, and even design a poster for your favorite band while learning to recognize the effects that design has on our society. Learn fundamental skills of graphic design while making choices that are sure to enhance other areas of your learning and your life.
This course is written for both middle school and high school students so that students at both levels of learning will succeed. Lessons will address similar standards but will allow several pathways for iForward students.

Would you love to take an art course but feel that you may not be artistic enough? Well, this is the class for you! This exciting project based course helps students understand that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Students learn to accept the fact that the people we meet will often have a difference of opinion and that fact truly will enrich your life. When this course is completed you probably won’t be a famous artist. However, this course will offer you many opportunities for self-expression. You will increase your potential for creative thinking while you are exposed to a number of careers where art skills are valued. (there are a short list of materials that you might need inside the course. ) Students who enroll in this course will gain a deeper respect for all that is beautiful while understanding that there are countless careers, that you can choose from, where creative thinking and art talent are valued.

Students will need a cell phone camera or an ipod or ipad camera for this course.

We carry our cell phones everywhere we go and most of them have a built in camera feature that allows us to take instant images of our life as it happens.. This class will explore the cell phone as an instant, and available, medium in the art of digital photography. Instruction will expose students to a whole new art form through their cell phone photography. Using cell phone camera as the equipment of choice ,along with photo editing programs, students will create unique images based on their everyday lives that will be presented as an artistic visual diary. Students’ skills will be fine-tuned with a better understanding of successful compositions in photographic design. Learners will apply new knowledge and skills to photo retouching and manipulation and using images shot with their personal cell phones. Become part of this emerging media in the area of photography. Enroll in, “ The Artistic Side of Cell Phone Photography!”

Students will need access to a scanner or a digital camera for submitting work for this course. In addition, students will need to use some basic art supplies.

Where do super heroes come from? They live in the action-filled pages of comic books. Who gives them their super powers? It’s the creative artist who puts energy and excitement into every drawing. You too can create your own super heroes, and discover the power you hold in your pencil. Using the tools, tricks and techniques of professional artists, you’ll create people and objects that leap off the page. You’ll start with your sketchbook, and put down your ideas and impressions. You’ll develop those ideas by using lines, colors, composition and perspective. You’ll finish with a collection of original artwork that tells the story your way.

In this course you’ll experience the creative processes used by all artists. You’ll learn how to analyze, interpret and evaluate art. But most of all, you’ll have a portfolio of work that demonstrates your own skill and creativity as an artist.

Students who wish to enroll in this course will have to have successfully completed an art course with a grade of B or higher.

This is a unique independent stady art course that is set aside for students who have artistic talent and a deep interest in any area of the visual arts. Students who enroll in this course often have the high potential of going into a career in the area of visual arts in the future. Students who wish to enroll in this course will have to have successfully completed an art course with a grade of B or higher. This class will allow students to focus on an area of visual arts that they are passionate about. Learners in this course will design their own course by writing their own short and long term goals and meeting them independently with minimal guidance from their instructor. Students must be committed to daily live lessons! Learners will be highly organized and dedicated to the value of visual arts in their lives and will have to create a blog (or other social media format) where their work can be displayed and shared. Please contact your student guidance counselor to find out if you are a good candidate for this original course.

The Music Appreciation course provides an overview of the development of western music from Pre-Renaissance to Modern times on the European continent and in America. The focus is on select composers and how the influenced musical styles – and on enjoying our rich heritage of music.

In the Introduction to Coding course, students are taught how to program using the Blockly coding language. With Blockly, everything is done with little building blocks that snap together in an intuitive way. Each block represents a small piece of code that together make an entire program. Coding with blocks allows students to focus on the fundamental principles of coding without the challenging initial learning curve required for traditional programming languages. Students will be led through activities with incrementally more advanced building blocks. Each block is similar in structure to the syntax and style of real world programming languages. As students learn to program by snapping blocks together, they are laying a foundation for more advanced programming languages. Students will learn about conditional statements, loops, and functions.

Are you ready to step away from the computer and learn through projects? Would you like to opportunity chose from over 100 activities to learn more about skills needed for possible future careers? You can choose from activities in many areas: biology, astronomy, cartoonist, dancer, jewelry designer, mechanic, make-up artist, musician, potter, physicist, transport engineer, veterinarian, and many, many more. If you have wanted to explore a new area or develop a skill, this class is for you. Step away from your computer for a little while and learn vocational skills through hands-on activities.

The College and Career Readiness course provides students with basic knowledge and skills they need as they prepare for further training in a career or go on to college. It is never too early to begin to prepare.

This class teaches students how to take care of pets. Students will learn information about caring for pets and vocational skills for potential future careers. The individualized projects will make this class suitable for students of all ability levels. Students will showcase their creations to their classmates.

You will need an adult who is willing to supervise you in the kitchen to help monitor kitchen safety practices.

What is your favorite food? Have you had a chance to prepare it yourself? This class is for those students who have never cooked and for those who are up and coming chefs with lots of experience. We will learn safety in the kitchen and cooking and baking techniques. You will have the opportunity to create many delicious foods and try recipes of your choice. Complete your course schedule by enrolling in this tasty class.

From Financial Responsibility to career and income planning, to basic economics and entrepreneurship, Middle School Personal Finance is designed to prepare students for a successful life by teaching mindfulness and responsibility with finances.

MS Psychology introduces students to the science of psych. Students learn foundational knowledge regarding the scientific method, and human anatomy, and apply this to the study of memory, learning, stress, thought and personality, and states of consciousness. Students also analyze common psychological disorders career paths within Psychology

Middle School Biology prepares students for high school biology and provides a basic introduction to biology, the study of life. A major focus of this course is the cell – its structure and function, cell transport and cellular energy, and how cells divide. Students will explore genetics and learn about DNA. Units on ecology and evolution are also included.

MS Chemistry provides students with a basic introduction to chemistry. Students are introduced to various forms of matter. They learn about the basic components of the atom and electron orbitals. They will become familiar with the Periodic Table and learn how to use it to predict properties of specific elements. They will learn about chemical bonding, practice stoichiometry, and learn basic reactions. A brief introduction of organic chemistry is also included.

Medical Terminology provides general study skills and a firm foundation for students preparing for postsecondary education to pursue a career in the medical field. Anatomical instruction is coupled with the investigation of key related terminology not only dealing with “what” but also “why” and “how” allowing students apply the information. Specifically, students explore the structures, functions, and terms related to disease and the bodily systems, including the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, nervous, integumentary, endocrine, and reproductive systems. Students learn about specific health care professions and the unique role each plays. Through the study of this material, students learn effective deciphering skills enabling them to decode medical terminology they have seen and terminology to which they are yet to be exposed.

MS Physics explores the nature of our physical environment and explains how natural phenomena occur in terms of mathematics. The course leads students through an investigation of matter and its motion through time and space, along with related concepts such as energy and force.